Caged Sparrow
by Theif of Dreams
Summary: A strange man wanders into Sherwood and Nottingham, unfortunately he carries with him a dangerous secret. A secret that could impact all those around. Is Sparrow just a stranger passing through... or could he be a threat?


Caged Sparrow by Thief of Dreams (originally known as Ralise)

Prologue: The Haunting

The dark stone glistened in the candle light, obscuring the mosaics and frescos that mourned a supreme and supernatural loss. The faces and eyes of the figures moved and cried in the silence as the flames danced with the shadows that moved and swayed like human hands. The doors to the chapel groaned, and a small ray of light only cast by the moon lingered onto the cold stone before the doors cried their testimony and clicked shut.

Two dark silhouetted figures hovered by a lantern, seeking its light to remove the grim tales that were told on the walls surrounding them. As the wanderer approached the heavy air tightened with the tension of silence. In hushed tones the monk and abbot attempted to disband their personal silence and remove the presence of their guest with mere thought.

However, the silence grew thick when the end of the discussion neared. The intruder studied the walls that disobeyed the eyes with shifting light, watching the lips of Mary move as she cried and her eyes flicker in mournful sorrow. At last, the large round eyes of the abbot flicker to the stranger, and a swift comment is made to the lesser. As the darkness crept upon the monk the moment he left the serenity f the lantern, his pace became erratic and hurried, rushing to be free of the shadowed and watching paintings that glared down at him.

"What do you seek, my son?" the abbot asked, his voice betraying the grievances he held for the uninvited. The hooded and cloaked man turned from the enrapturing images, and lifted his face to look at the tight-fisted abbott. The piercing blue eyes locked onto the portly abbot, and froze his soul. In those eyes, there was the history of the world staring at him, haunting him. Despite the glaring eyes of the Lord, the abbott was roused to cross himself in front of what must be a demon. What else could possess such eyes?

"I seek a way out, Father. A path different from the one I follow." His voice seemed to erupt from his chest, shaking the still air and chilling the soul of the abbot. His voice, as cold and rough as it was, hit the soul as though it brought forth all the shame of one's heart into remembrance. The abbot straightened, and he closed his heart to the pain the stranger's voice brought into mind.

"I know you. You who bring pain and fear into the world. You who have nothing and need the world to live. Your past is cold, even brutal, and full of treachery, yet you live. No one's your friend and everyone's your enemy. You know too much, even when you know nothing at all. You stole the precious valuable worth nothing, and they call for your death. No one wishes to see your face, so you hide it. There's nothing ahead and your world behind, what is it you search for? You are pointless, as is your life. Why do you still try to continue?" The hooded figure seems to laugh as he answers his voice dark and dreary. The abbot froze at the sound, chilling and almost childish. Frightening in the dark, yet musical to the ears as the soul longed to hear more. His eyes matched the abbot's again, once more stilling the blood in his veins.

"I've made it this far. Death is just another lesson in the game."

"And what is this 'game' you speak of?"

"Something you call life."

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**ToD (me :) )**: Those who don't know, this is me (Ralise) who started this and is now revising and editing to make it better and finish it on a different account. Something went wrong with my other one. Please review! Other chapters will be longer and you'll see how it relates to Princess of Thieves! :D

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Robin Hood copyright and do not intend to make anyone think that. I DO own all characters created by me (In this chapter...all of them, though mainly Sparrow, who you will meet later) Enjoy this fanfic!


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